


Every Planet We Reach Is Dead (Scene Kid AU)

by IwriteDreams



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Hinata trying to impress a hot boy by skateboarding, Multi, Scene Kid AU, also lowkey, being scared of microwaves, lowkey, nagito's soul has gone missing and he hasn't found it, overall regret, terrible ideas, trans!hinata
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-13
Updated: 2018-08-25
Packaged: 2019-01-16 17:52:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12347619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IwriteDreams/pseuds/IwriteDreams
Summary: The passing reality of Nagito actually saying the word “baby” in reference to him also makes his knees a little weaker.“For real- where's the fridge?” Hinata asks. “I’m by the door. I don’t want to trip on you- I’d break you like a pencil.”“Gee, thanks,” Nagito grunts somewhere to his left. “I haven't moved. The freezer has an internal light so we should be able to see when we open the door. Just… feel around for it.”Hinata grits his teeth. “Okay… I’ll be right back.”“I can’t see shit- you leaving me here makes no goddamn difference.”"That's fair."





	1. My Chemical Romance

It isn’t every day when the hottest guy you’ve ever seen in your gay, little life drops himself off at your doorstep asking to play fallout with your little brother.

 

Hinata can’t put the experience into words. His heart hammers away as he stares down the palest person he's probably ever seen. His frame is wispy, with black hair that no doubt came from a dye bottle spilling out in tufts over his nape and shoulders. Solid bands of eyeliner grace his eyes delicately. It's a perfect job done- Hinata would never be able to replicate it. His shirt is torn around the collar, boasting a wide view of his deep-set collarbone studded with black jeweled piercings. 'Mindless Self Indulgence' is splayed across it in blatant neon lettering paired with dark skinny jeans that have more tears than Hinata would ever feel comfortable wearing. The laces of his black converse are coming loose. Studded buckle bracelets loop around his wrists. It is over the top, and Hinata couldn’t stop scanning him over. 

 

Hinata had lost his voice somewhere between this guy’s black hair and beat up converse, and had to wait for him to say something before he remembered that it is probably customary to greet a person, rather than just stare at them in awe for an elongated period of silence.

 

“Oh! You must be Hinata! So sorry, It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Nagito Komaeda.”

 

Nagito reaches out a hand and Hinata stares at it like a fool for a moment, processing it before he hastily takes it, and gives it a firm shake.

 

“Nice to meet you,” He almost laughs. Nagito just smiles at him, shuffling his feet. “Come on in, I’ll let Makoto know that you’re here.”

 

Nagito nods, following Hinata in through the front door, pausing to kick off his shoes by the placemat. Hinata leads Nagito into the game room where Makoto is already situated, controller balled up between his small fists as his tongue peeked out in concentration.

 

He sits up a bit but doesn’t say anything when Nagito and Hinata enter. He viciously mashes one of the buttons- The screen lights up with the word 'VICTORY', to some fanfare and electronic applause.

 

Makoto sits back with a sigh, before turning, bright-eyed, to Nagito.

 

“Hey! So glad you could make it!” He pats the seat next to him and Nagito casually sits beside Makoto. “I was getting tired of playing by myself or with Ibuki… She always misses.”

 

“I’m glad I made it too,” Nagito admits. “I just met Hinata.”

 

Hinata stands awkwardly to the side as Makoto hands the controller to Nagito, expecting that he already knows what to do. “You can play with us if you want," Makoto offers brightly to Hinata. "I met Nagito at a party last week. I think you two would get along.”  

 

“Cool.” Hinata nods. Bless his half-brother, that’s not an opportunity he’s passing up on for the life of him. He sits next to Nagito, trying to get a better look at him without appearing creepy in any way. “So… where do you go to school?” He asks lamely as Nagito hands the controller to Makoto, clearly not knowing what he wanted from him.

 

“Dropped out. Used to go to McKinley.”

 

“Nice,” Hinata said. “School not your thing?”

 

‘The education system’s fucked up anyway,” Nagito says. “I had social anxiety, too, so it wasn’t like it was helping me out.”

 

Hinata nods. He is surprised that he’d dropped out for legitimate reasons. Some just did it to look tough, even though it fucked them over for the rest of their life.

 

“Wait- isn’t McKinley a private school, with like, a billion exams to get in?” He starts.

 

“That’s the place,” Nagito says, leaning back and looking at him. “I never said I was stupid. It was just more trouble than it was worth. I work a summer job, so I’m pitching in somewhat.”

 

“Really? Where?” Hinata has never been more curious to ask that question.

 

Nagito lets out a chord of brilliant, subtle laughter to himself, eyes darting to the screen where Makoto is shooting and breaking bottles, before turning back to Hinata. “Don’t laugh… but I volunteered at an animal shelter. And, like, now, I’m working as an animal trainer for the same organization.”

 

“You mean you, looking like that, are getting hands-on experiences with small animals alone for hours a day?” Hinata grins, incredulously.

 

“I clean up nicely.” 

 

“I suppose you have to."

 

“Hey, Hinataaaaaaa…” Makoto drones, nailing a perfect headshot on a guy and watching him bleed out on the floor. “Because you love me, and I’m not kicking you out, but mostly ‘cause you love me, could you get some hot pockets and grab me a Pepsi?”

 

Nagito playfully scowled. “Did you mean Coke? No one asks for Pepsi."

 

“I do.” Makoto shrugs. “Here, I’ll save this and start Fallout… gimme a minute.”

 

Hinata begrudgingly stands up only to realize Nagito has stood as well and is following him to the kitchen. 

 

“Can I… Do you want anything to drink?”

 

“Ah! Uh… Just a water is fine.”

 

“Sure thing…” He mumbles.

 

He grabs their drinks and slams some Totino’s pizza rolls in the oven. They chat quietly for a couple of minutes. It is casual. Nagito makes sense, and his laugh is nice. Later, Hinata sits down on the couch, handing over a plate of pizza rolls to his brother. He hears an energy drink hiss and crack as they pop it open. He can innately sense that this, what he had with Nagito right there, would last for a while. 

 

It did, in fact, end up going better than Hinata had figured it would. Makoto cried at the screen every now and then, and Nagito kept getting nervous and freezing up. Hinata is only average at first-person shooters himself, but the matches were fun. Makoto got a surprise call from Kirigiri, his crush, and, seeing as Nagito was enjoying Hinata’s company so much, he left them without a second thought. 

 

Hinata enjoyed having a player two, even if neither of them were any good at following rules.

 

_____

 

Ibuki and Mikan sleep on the couch together. 

 

After three months of knowing Nagito, Hinata had more connections than ever. Nagito, while quiet, did know a lot of fun scene kids in the area, and, just like him, they instantly struck him as interesting, good people to have in his life. Nagito is more extroverted than him in a way. That, or he knew people who knew more other people… either way, he had a new neighbor in Ibuki, who crashed at his place so often she became the sister he never had. Mikan was kicked out of her home after coming out to her parents and was spending a few nights at his place to let it all cool down. 

 

He tried to help all he could but after four nights he’d given up. His parents were barely around and they didn’t care no matter what happened, so long as nobody was smoking indoors.

 

Ibuki snores away, drooling over the arm of the sofa, and Mikan shoulders a massive pile of blankets. 

 

Hinata largely left them to their own devices. His house is never just him and Makoto anymore. It isn't as though he didn’t have alone time. But they were more of a cohesive unit than anything.

 

Hinata smiles widely when he hears the scratchy doorbell go off and the door push open and close again with its telltale clap against the wooden frame.

 

“Hinata?”

 

“I’m here!” He chirps happily. “Ibuki and Mikan are sleeping, I just left them a note.” He jogs up to the door, socked feet slipping on the wooden floors. The morning sun filters through the blinds in the living room. Nagito is both an early bird and a night owl in that he rarely slept, so it never surprised Hinata when he showed up at his house.

 

Nagito smiles, hair a mess, today in a 'My Chemical Romance' hoodie. His skeletal figure swims in the tent-like fabric. His skinny jeans are as tight as ever, but the hems fall over black Doc Martens. For once, Hinata notes that the thin stripes of eyeliner that had always been so even are uneven. Nagito has bags under his eyes- Hinata doesn't say anything about it.

 

“You ready to go tear it up?” Hinata asks him, as he looks around for his shoes. He pulls them from under the table and collapses to the floor to put them on.

 

“I don’t know, are you ready to biff a billion times?” Nagito asks back, eyebrows raising indignantly, his collarbone pierces glinting in the light. 

 

“Shut up. My kickflip ratio of landing to not is ten times better now.”

 

“Sure it is.” He smiles, holding out Hinata’s helmet to him. “Don’t forget this.”

 

“I won’t!” Hinata grumbles. “Thanks, mom.”

 

“Don’t call me that.” Nagito grimaces. “It’s weird.”

 

Hinata huffs, glancing back. “You need anything to eat or drink? Last chance before you babysit my tumbling ass for the next couple hours.”

 

Nagito shakes his head. “I already ate.”

 

Hinata shrugs. “Suit yourself.” He picks up his skateboard and takes it under his arm. “Let's hit it.”

 

Nagito mumbles some affirmative as they leave the house. Hinata didn't bother to lock the door. 

 

“Are you really sure you’re okay?” Hinata asks. “You look really tired.”

 

“I’m just not sleeping well. It happens.” Nagito stares at the ground slightly ahead of his feet. “Anxiety and all that.”

 

Hinata nods. He knows that Nagito’s mental state isn’t the most stable in the world, but despite that, Nagito always had a robust and upbeat attitude- which sometimes felt like whiplash.

 

“So… how’s hanging with Mikan around the clock?” Nagito asks, side-eying him as they pace out of the driveway towards the end of the road to the sidewalk.

 

“Depressing. I can’t believe her parents kicked her out like that… I can’t believe it.”

 

“Me neither,” Nagito agrees. “Like, I knew they were shitty people, but damn. All of that because she started dating Chiaki?”

 

“Well, you know. They're super religious. Like you can believe what you want, but it's like they have to be intolerant because of it. That’s… I don’t know if I can understand that.”

 

“Mikan’s a gem!” Nagito announces to nobody but themselves. “I don’t know how they can’t see that! It’s like dating Chiaki totally discredits all the amazing grades she gets, and all of the people she’s helped and good she’s offered her friends, and her talents and accomplishments… I don’t get it.”

 

“She seems to be getting along with Ibuki well if that counts for anything,” Hinata says, “Ibuki keeps staying the night so she’s not lonely, and doesn’t feel weird with me being there, as a guy.”

 

“Even though both parties are gay?”

 

“You’re supposed to understand anxiety, right?”

 

“I know, I’m just giving her a hard time. I get it, emotion and reality don’t line up. I get that all the time… Now I know why Ibuki’s there.”

 

“Yeah… she’s stealing all of my Monster energy drinks! It’s not good! Also, I keep run to get more goddamn ramen cups because Ibuki sniffs that stuff like crack. It’s not healthy.”

 

Nagito grimaces. “That isn’t good. How is she still so thin?”

 

“She goes into the mosh pit at every concert? I dunno.”

 

“She needs to pay attention to what she eats.”

 

Hinata casts him a wary glance. “Uh… She’s like, a completely healthy size? I think she’s fine.”

 

Nagito shrugs. “I get worried about her. She always rushes in and thinks later. I love her, don’t get me wrong… but she needs impulse control.”

 

“I mean- she has me,” Hinata points out, feeling weird because this is as close as Nagito has ever come to talking smack about somebody else- which feels strange. “But I get it, she won’t have us around forever.”

 

“In other news….” Nagito smiles. “I got us tickets for Warped tour!”

 

“Wait- really?!” Hinata pauses, jumping on his feet. “You’re kidding!”

 

Nagito looked confused. “I told you I’d take you- of course, I’d get tickets."

 

“Dude- I just didn’t think you’d… I’ve never been- how much do I owe you now?!”

 

Nagito opened his arms a bit. “Not a penny. It’s my pleasure.”

 

“Nagito! Those tickets are really expensive- is this a joke?”

 

Nagito laughed, head tilted to the sun, a smile on his face, and Hinata felt the telltale heat of his wonder splash across his cheeks. 

 

Hinata watched him for a moment before Nagito pulled himself together long enough to answer “Of course not! You’ve dreamed of going for forever- don’t think about the price. Think about all the fun we’ll have together!”

 

“Wha… we’re actually going?! Together?!”

 

“Hell yeah! Oh-!”

 

Hinata doesn’t think twice, awkwardly still gripping onto his skateboard, and reaching one arm to give him as strong of a hug as he can- nagito feels all too thin and bony in the sweater that swallows him alive.

 

“Thank you- thank you, thank you!” He sounds like a little girl. He feels like one too- he is going to Warped Tour with Nagito!

 

“Of course- It was the least I could do….” Nagito seems so calm about the whole thing- Hinata is reeling. He backs away, grinning so hard his face hurts. 

 

“We- We’re going to warped tour! We’re god- three-oh-three will be there! And All time low! And pierce the veil! Nagito- that’s so great!”

 

Nagito ducks his head in embarrassment, looking down at his shoes. “Look- chill out man, It’s not that big a deal… I know you’re excited…”

 

Right- “Sorry! I just, thank you,” Hinata says again. “I can’t wait!”

 

Nagito lightly taps his arm with a curled fist, Hinata smiling, taking that as an indication to carry on their way. 

 

“Seriously, did you win the tickets? I'll totally pay- Just us?”

 

Nagito smiles. “Yeah… I was thinking we go on our lonesome this year, and next year we'll have all the others come with us. Mahiru and Nekomaru… them all. Maybe that Hot Topic Employee- you know the guy- Izzy? He keeps showing up at Chiaki’s and Sonia’s parties.”

 

Hinata smiles. “Yeah- him! I’m… a little scared to talk to him, honestly… He sets me on edge. No clue why.”

 

Nagito laughs. “Everything sets you on edge nowadays… what was that I hear about this Kirigiri woman?”

 

Hinata sighs emphatically. “It’s not that I don’t like her! I just- She doesn’t emote very much, and she seems suspicious, and she’s all Makoto talks about now!”

 

“He’s in love.” Nagito smiles. “I think it’s great.”

 

“It’s weird! He just… thinks about her so much- and she just seems so stiff! She’s nice and all, but he needs to be more careful! He’s being an idiot like always!”

 

Nagito’s expression twists in confusion as he steps up onto the main road’s sidewalk. “Look, I think you’re just getting protective of him. I totally get it, he’s your little bro- but you need to relax on this one.”

 

“You think?” Hinata realizes his top lip has caught in his lip piercing for a moment. He pulls it out of the vice, wincing at the slight pinch. “It seems over the top.”

 

“It’s a puppy-crush,” Nagito says. “It’ll wear off- they aren't having sex or anything. They just seem to be enamored with each other.”

 

“What are you- a dictionary?” Hinata asks. “I think Makoto’s enamored with her, and she is just letting it happen.”

 

“Hinata-”

 

“Fine- whatever. He’ll figure it out.” He says, not wanting to talk about it anymore. “But if she lays a finger on him, it will not be pretty.”

 

“I'm confident she wouldn’t. Kirigiri’s darling, she’s just really reserved. I promise you have nothing bad to worry about. I’d bet our warped tour tickets on it.”

 

“DON’T!”

 

“I wouldn’t!” He laughs. “Calm down, there, buddy. Now- I’m ready to see this alleged kickflip…”

 

“Game on,” Hinata said with unparalleled confidence.

 

____

 

Unparalleled confidence has a way of not working out well for Hinata in the end. He’s foolish like that sometimes. 

 

“I promise I’ll be fine!” He calls behind him at Nagito. “Let me get some momentum first!”

 

Okay… A frontside kickflip. Much harder than the backside one he’s been practicing… But he can do this. He sees trees whirring in his peripheral vision as he breaks by scraping the back of his board to the pavement, grinding it there, swelling around to his left before touching back down. A perfect 180 spin without getting off the board. He will impress Nagito- after three months of close camaraderie, this is the seventh time they’ve come out to practice. None of which had wooed Nagito in the way Hinata wished it would, but he’d figure it out.

 

He takes a deep breath before pushing off heavily with his back foot. He feels the crevices of the sidewalk bump under him rhythmically as he shoots down the sidewalk.

 

With all his might, Hinata stomps onto the back of his board, causing it to leap into the air, before nudging his airborne foot backward- knocking his board only… His foot misses, and he drops to the ground, his feet- actually landing on his board! It is only half of what he wants and he is too dizzy to quite make out what is happening- but suddenly the grey pavement beneath him turns brown and rocky and-

 

Hinata feels pain explode down his front- his face, and body slamming, groin first, into a tree, skateboard suddenly skidding out from under him.

 

“Hinata!” He can vaguely hear Nagito cry out.

 

'Fuck, that hurts.'

 

He immediately doubles over, clutching his stinging groin- Shit, that is unpleasant. His eyes were watering and with every breath, he bit back groans of pain. It throbbed, but not as badly as it should’ve. Imaging what should be happening to him made it worse though.

 

Hinata scrambles backward, with both hands between his legs- and is numbly shocked when the floor rises up to greet him, his perspective turning. He loses his footing over himself, tripping, and falling down.

 

“Hinata!”

 

Hinata can’t feel anything aside from multiple burs digging into his back and legs. Bare skin, not covered in shorts. He sees Nagito run up to him, lying in a patch of burs and spiky leaves when-

 

“Holy shit!” 

 

Tears spring to Hinata’s eyes immediately. It feels as though the skin of his back is being sawed off with a four-hundred-degree chisel. Throbbing and burning- he loses the words in pain. He can’t hear anything. His eyes clench closed and tears spill out, hot on his face. His legs feel like knives have been inserted in every square inch. “Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, goddammit, holy shit.”

 

He hears Nagito from somewhere above him. Hinata is afraid of moving. Everything is pounding up and down like little pistons of fucking agony. If he moved more, it would only be worse. “Holy fuck.” Sobbing right in front of Nagito- smooth. Way to impress him- but Hinata swears he’s never been in this much pain in his life. It hurt beyond words. 

 

He’s sobbing at this point. “Holy fuck, Nagito- Nagito, help.”

 

“Hinata- oh god… that’s, uh…”

 

“Oh f-fuck. Goddamn it- that hurts!" He’s swearing, and he can’t stop. If he stops swearing, he'll lose it.

 

“Here- here- I got you, don’t move…” Nagito’s soft voice is like a beacon of light. Hinata can’t see, but he can feel Nagito’s hands carefully find his own, delicately. “That’s stinging nettle, honey, it’s okay…. I’ll help you up.”

 

Hinata feels delirious. He hasn’t cried like this in so long.

 

He feels more barbs brush the inside of his thighs as he tries to stand, touching as little of the bushel he'd fallen into as possible. Nagito helps him up-

 

He hisses slightly, but it’s all just dissolved into sobbing, and he isn't the slightest bit intelligible. Nagito finally has him on his feet, and Hinata can’t even support himself- he’s throbbing all over.

 

Nagito wraps a tight arm over his shoulders. Hinata opens his eyes slightly, squinting through vision warped with water collecting on his eyelids. Nagito is peering down at him, concerned, lips tight as he tries to catch Hinata’s eye- for some confirmation that he’ll live. 

 

“Thank you,” Hinata somehow gasps between tears and a string of slurred swears.

 

Nagito looks fiercely alarmed. “It’s all good…. Let’s just get you back home, okay?”

 

Hinata feels Nagito stomp down on his board, which was still below the tree, and he felt it jump naturally into Nagito’s other hand. 

 

“Come- on!” Nagito readjusts his grip. “Let’s go.”

 

_________

 

Hinata’s bedroom has not always been the most glamorous place, but it is his home. A safe place for himself and his thoughts. A place for the self-indulgence of music, and thoughts, and candy in the light of the sun, under a buzzing ceiling fan. But now it's for things like Nagito staring him down in his underwear.

 

Hinata has been friends with Nagito for three months now- they started trusting each other almost immediately- surely this isn’t as weird as he is making it out to be. Still, physically pulling off his shorts exposing blank and neon plaid underwear in front of Nagito? Not his most favorite thing. Well, it is- But he's into it in a guilty way.

 

He’d stopped crying, but he still feels like little needles had been slipped under every square inch of his skin, still throbbing with no signs of relent. Now that the absolute tip of the iceberg had been forded, and he is adjusting to the pure agony and anguish of it, he could start to start feeling embarrassed. 

 

Nagito shows no signs of looking down on him, only alarm and genuine concern… which somewhat made it worth it. Nagito actually helps him out of his shirt once he’d removed his pants, and Hinata would be the biggest liar on the planet if he tried to say that the feeling of Nagito pulling the hem of his shirt up over him gently didn’t make him go red in the face.

 

Every moment is one Hinata passes with his breath held for a different reason. He can’t place why it is making him so anxious- but it does. Like the moment of silence before an audience breaks out into thunderous applause. “Okay… it’s okay- just let me… okay- there we go…” Nagito offers him hushed comfort. Somehow, he gets the shirt off with minimal contact to Hinata’s skin. “Okay.”

 

Hinata stops- seeing Nagito pause as well, and stare at his chest. 

 

Hinata bites his lip as he suddenly felt ice slide down his back- he’d totally forgotten. 

 

He’d forgotten that Nagito would now be greeted with the sight of a pale, worn half binder. 

 

“N… Nagito?”

 

Nagito just. Keeps. Staring.

 

“Hin-... you’re a…” He glances up to meet Hinata’s gaze. “You’re a girl?”

 

Hinata chokes. 

 

“Shit! I- I- I Didn't mean- that came out wrong- of course, you’re not a girl. You’re a man to me. You always will be- this doesn’t change a thing. I was just kinda surprised. That’s all. I just… I had no idea.”

 

Hinata wrenches his gaze away. “It’s… whatever.”

 

“No! No, it’s not- I’m sorry. But you're gonna... have to, you know. Take it off. Like- I’ll leave, and get the baking powder and water- I’m sorry!”

 

With a legitimate fear in his eyes, the most intimidatingly attractive man Hinata has ever seen flees the room.

 

Hinata lets his shoulders sag down, releasing the tension he had been carrying in them. He knows that Nagito is okay with it, but he hadn't wanted him to find out like this. He wanted to tell him- sooner or later, he would've, but...

 

“Goddamnit…”

 

Everything really aches.

 

_______

 

Hinata is embarrassed and lost. Everything feels numb by the time Nagito gets back to him with a bowl of bubbly, white water- and Hinata’s binder lies on the bed next to him. Instinctively, he covers up his too-large chest with his hands protectively.

 

Nagito looks at him from under a layer of pity, which Hinata feels like he might suffocate in. A paste of shame foams in his throat, clogging up all the oxygen. 

 

Hinata can’t find the words to say. In the moment, he just looks down at his arms and starts counting the freckles on his tan skin one by one for something to focus on.

 

“Look, Hinata- I don’t care. I’m here for you in whatever way you need. I… I didn’t mean what I said to you… I’m sorry- I wasn't thinking. Of course, you’re not a girl.”

 

In his defense, Nagito’s eyes also brim with worry- perhaps for himself, perhaps for Hinata. Hinata trusts him to not make this weird, at least.

 

“You really won’t think of me any differently?”

 

Nagito sighs and sits down right next to Hinata, who cringes, covering his chest with his arms. He is totally bare aside from his boxers.

 

“Hinata… what’s under your shirt and between your legs doesn’t matter at all compared to who you are and how you act… you get me?”

 

Hinata smiles to himself, more out of self-pity and sadness than any positive emotion. “I guess?”

 

Nagito sighs. “Look- Let’s get you patched up- this isn’t my first rodeo, and I assume you’re still in immense pain.”

 

“No. Shit.”

 

Nagito chuckles nervously. “Just turn around, and don’t complain. This might sting for a moment- but it gets better, I promise.”

 

Hinata turns around, still clutching his breasts with tense shoulders. 

 

“Hinata- I know what breasts look like. You can relax.” Nagito says, pulling whatever concoction he’d made closer to him. “This is baking powder and water- I’m not sure how it works, but it does. So… bear with me.”

 

Hinata obliges, slowly letting his hands fall, feeling more violated than anything- and hisses out in pain once Nagito’s wet fingers brush the fiery pain that choruses across his back.

 

Then, after a moment- it seems to die down. Hinata grumbles some form of thanks, as Nagito continued. It hurt substantially less, and that is more than a win for him. Still red-faced and ashamed, Hinata doesn’t jump at any opportunities for conversation. He just lets Nagito rub his baking-powder-magic-paste across his back in silence for a moment, listening to the quiet whirring of his ceiling fan.

 

Nagito stares at the top of his shoulders, across the nape of his neck, which made Hinata feel- again- strangely uncomfortable. Not that he didn’t love and trust Nagito. He had just wanted more preparation for something like this.

 

Finally- Nagito spoke. “Okay… you’re going to need to turn around for this. I need to get between your legs. And for the record, no, you can't do this by yourself. Your hands still have the barbs on them.”

 

Hinata grunts, instinctively reaching up to cover his chest again, before he internalizes Nagito’s warning of not touching anything. He gives in begrudgingly and turns around. To his pleasant surprise, Nagito looks less on-edge about the whole thing now that he’s had a minute to sit with it. He isn't staring, either, his dark eyes refusing to fall on his body for any inappropriate amount of time.

 

His face gets another flush of hot blood when Nagito’s hands find the inside of his thighs. He tells himself to relax because this isn’t what he wishes it were. He notes, instead, Nagito's silky black nail polish. It's chipping, but the color is stark against his own skin.

 

Nagito gets right to work, delicate fingers spreading the bubbling white liquid to help soothe the sores. Nagito is almost done coating his legs when suddenly- he hears somebody pounding on the door.

 

“Hinata?”

 

His heart leaps into his throat. “Makoto- Don’t come in-!”

 

The door crashes open almost instantly in brave disobedience.

 

Makoto, door open before him, stares at Hinata, lying naked in bed with Nagito between his legs, fingers covered in the white substance.

 

Makoto turns bright red, his lip catching in his teeth. “Oh! S-Sorry!” He slams the door before Hinata could even hope of recovering or clarifying what happened.

 

“Well… shit,” Hinata sighs. “That was… not what I wanted.”

 

“I’m sorry, Hinata!” Nagito gushes immediately. “Here- I’ll go let him know-!”

 

“Don’t worry about it.” Hinata is somewhat calm. He feels like he’s being a bit cold in his frustration. “If we go now it’ll look like we actually were, you know... Uh. Anyway, I can explain later.”

 

Nagito looks alarmed, as he steals another look back at him. Hinata sees that his eyeliner is smudged slightly on the right side. “Look… I’m… really sorry.”

 

“Nagito- let it go,” Hinata insisted.

 

He lets out a breath that he seemed to be holding without realizing it and looks down at his torn skinny jeans. “Fine… Whatever you say.”

 

“Hey. You gotta admit- I had some sick moves out there.”

 

“You legitimately fell into a stinging nettle patch on your first attempt.”

 

Hinata blushes again, nervously smiling. “Oh. Yeah… I thought I’d showed off a little.”

 

“I think stinging nettle juice is making you delirious or something…” Nagito laughs, standing up. Hinata’s throbbing is demoted to a present, painful pulse. Better, but still shitty. 

 

“Look- I need to go home and… I have homework to do. Just… rest up, and let that all soak in. If you still have problems, make some more of that- it’s three units of water to every 4 units of baking powder. And, um… thanks for hanging out with me today.” Nagito smiles, tucking his hands in the pockets of his hoodie. It’s a wonder how he still sometimes complains that he can never get warm.

 

“Thank you for looking out for me,” Hinata says, standing, and wincing. “Sorry that I was probably no fun… I know you wanted something more enjoyable.”

 

Nagito tucked his head. “I… really don’t deserve it,” He confessed. “Look. I’ll just. Take my leave.”

 

Hinata sighs, feeling empty and unaccomplished. Nagito closes the door behind him and he is left alone with the pounding rashes and the sudden realization that Nagito didn’t have homework.

 

He's a dropout.

 

_________

 

Hinata, still frustrated and embarrassed, falls asleep that night in his bed with his earbuds still in- tuned into Gorillaz. He wakes to aching ears and a dead iPod, only to remember the events of yesterday upon waking up naked. 

 

He trudges downstairs after slipping on a binder and a baggy T-shirt for 'Fall Out Boy' and is met by Makoto in the kitchen.

 

“Good morning.” Makoto smiles. “You slept well, I take it?”

 

“Something like that…” He mumbles. Something smells abnormally sweet, and the countertop has too many bowls on it to pass as Makoto making pancakes.

 

“I was surprised that Nagito left last night- I thought you two would like to experience the whole ‘morning after’ thing... guess he’s a hit-and-run kinda guy?”

 

“What?” Hinata asks sleepily, not quite in tune with what Makoto is saying.

 

“Well, regardless… I felt bad for walking in on you- and ruining the moment… so I made you a cake!”

 

“You ruined what, now?” Hinata still doesn’t quite catch on. 

 

“I made. You. A cake. Gosh, dude, you are out of it! Did Nagito blow your mind that bad? It’s cool- I just got the icing on it!”

 

Makoto gestures over to the oven, where a cookie tray lay on the stove top. A chocolate cake stands proudly. Hinata assumed it is chocolate- the thinner parts of white frosting on the sides let the darker color peek through. It smells of vanilla, and in Makoto’s handwriting, even clumsier than usual and written in red frosting, it says:

 

'CONGRATS ON THE SEX!!! <3'

 

Hinata stops.

 

“What the- what the fuck?”

 

Makoto stops. “You- you don’t like it? I thought chocolate was your favorite.’

 

Hinata buries his face in his hands for a moment.  

 

“I’m not sure what’s more disappointing,” Hinata somehow manages. “The fact that you baked me a cake congratulating me on having sex when I didn’t actually have sex- or the fact that you put a heart at the bottom written like an emoticon, and not just- a heart.”

 

Makoto’s mouth formed a circle, and they both stood in silence for a moment. 

 

“Oh… so you didn’t…?”

 

“He was putting baking powder solution on me because I fell into a patch of stinging nettle.”

 

“... But your binder…”

 

“He found out the hard way.”

 

“Oh…” Makoto’s voice dies lamely. 

 

“Look- I’ll forgive you if I can still enjoy the cake and you never bring it up again.”

 

“Deal,” Makoto said without a hint of hesitation.

 

“Ah! But first!” Makoto said, cutting Hinata off as he is about to make his way to the silverware drawer to grab a fork. “You, uh… do like him, right?”

 

Hinata feels the urge to punch Makoto suddenly rise up- only to realize that he is so done with everything that he doesn’t even care. 

 

“Yes. I do. What of it?”

 

I like the guy with the box hair dye, who always hides his torso in baggy T-shirts. I love the guy who knows how to help me when I need it, even if it might be spontaneous and take some time. The guy who can chug a gallon of milk like nobody’s business. The guy who can never get warm and is never satisfied with what he does but does so much.

 

“Thanks, I was just curious,” Makoto says. “Enjoy eating your feelings.”

 

Hey. Thanks. 

  
  



	2. Blood On The Dancefloor

Hinata groans and curls over into a tight ball.

 

He can feel sticky sleep trying to pull his eyelids together like glue, as his vision blurs behind a forest of eyelashes. He squints. There’s a rolling pain churning in his abdominal, and he can feel a stickiness gather between his legs- sticking the top of his thighs together.

 

_ Fuck this. _

 

He rolls over in bed and sees Nagito asleep on the floor- tucked under a blanket with a mess of hair splashed across his pillow. Hinata holds his breath and hopes he won’t disturb him.

 

It has been a week since Nagito saw him in his binder that night. He sits up, frowning at the feeling of slime between his thighs as he drags himself unwillingly out of bed. Nagito, being the lightest sleeper Hinata knew, winces a little bit in the dusty light of the window just from the creak of Hinata's spring mattress. Nagito hates loud noises, even in his sleep.

 

Tiptoeing over the little blanket bundle- smothered in a comforter despite being summer- Hinata reaches out and opens the door. He glares at the door as it groans its complaints to him about being opened. He leaves warily, eyes finding the door to the bathroom. A bright night light was turned on just inside the door, and Hinata makes his way carefully to it, not trusting anything in his own home until the lights were turned on. For all his bark, he is very little bite. The darkness makes him feel uneasy, even if he knows there is nothing to be afraid of.

 

Holding his breath, he enters the bathroom and closes the door behind him. He flicks on the light-

 

"Shit."

 

He hisses as the fan starts to roar. The lights don't come on. His heart bounces up out of his living body. After having a near-heart attack experience, he slams down on the fan switch as fast as humanly possible.  He eyes the panel carefully this time and flicks on the actual lights.

He cleans himself up without looking down.

 

He digs in the cabinet under the sink for his pads, only there for him at this point. Gritting his teeth he finally gets himself situated, being mindful to hit the right light switch as he left, so as to not scare himself half to death all over again. He slides out, only to pause.

 

There is no way in hell he would fall asleep anytime soon. He might as well try to make the best of it.

 

And Hinata suddenly remembers the Rocket-pops Makoto had brought home from Ishimaru’s convenience store a couple days prior. Ishimaru, like Makoto, is against anything that even looks remotely dangerous. So instead of stealing booze and cigarettes, they had bought Rocket-pops.

 

Hinata makes up his mind, stretching his arm above him, and arching his back as he strolls down the hall.

 

“Hinata?”

 

Hinata stops, heart nearly collapsing from fright again as he turns around to come face to face with Nagito. He stood, slumped and blinking tiredly at him from the doorway to his bedroom. So much for not waking Nagito.

 

“Shit- dude, you spooked me!”

 

Nagito frowns, dazed and puzzled. “Sorry… didn’t mean too. Why are you up?”

 

“I should ask you the same thing.”

 

Nagito isn't oblivious to him skirting around the issue. “Look, I just heard you get up, and leave for a bit, and I thought I’d make sure you were all good.”

 

Hinata takes a moment to taste those words. “You worry too much, you know that?” He asks. "Look- I just… girl stuff happened. And a nightmare, um... It’s all good.”

 

Nagito looks puzzled for a moment. “Ah… Well, I’m sorry. For both of those. You do realize that I’d never see you as a girl, right?”

 

Ever since two weeks ago, Nagito had been very careful about what he said to him. He treated the topic as way more sensitive than it actually was. Still, though, Hinata appreciates it.

 

“Look, it’s okay, you can drop it now,” He assures him. “I promise I don’t care- forget about it.”

“Is there anything I can do to help? What did you dream about?”

 

Hinata shakes his head. “I forgot,” He lies. “I just woke up feeling really awful."

 

Nagito’s eyes squint at him, and Hinata can’t tell if it is because he is struggling to see him in the darkness, or if it was because he was trying to see Hinata's lie. It was there- but he couldn't tell where.

 

Hinata, groping for what to say, gives up on the filter for his words. “Look, I just got up to steal a Rocket-pop from the fridge, and like…. Relax for a moment before I go back to bed. You don’t have worry about it.”

 

He perks up. “A Rocket-pop?” His hand comes up in a fist, and he looks rather optimistic. Hinata saw his arm and wrist were still swaddled in the 'Fall Out Boy' sweater that he wore to bed that night, claiming he got too cold under the comforter in the middle of the Summer. Hinata would never understand it. “May I join you, my fair gentleman?” Nagito playfully drops to one knee, waving his hands in some semi-elegant swoop to tease him.

 

Hinata laughs. It probably isn’t that funny but everything around him had seemed so shitty for a moment. He’s glad Nagito’s got such good sense.

 

“Yes, you can come. If Makoto asks where we went in the morning, though, I’m swearing you to secrecy.”

 

“Secrecy? You got it, buddy,” Nagito says, pulling himself off the floor with a little more effort than it probably should’ve required. “You can trust me, yes sir.”

 

Hinata cracks a smile. “I know I can.”

 

For the record, Hinata wasn’t talking about the Rocket-pops.

 

Quietly traversing down the hallway and into the cavernous kitchen, Hinata made a note to turn away from the urge to flick on a light or two. It was a stupid move when they were trying to be sneaky, and Nagito would undoubtedly ask him why, and that's not something he wants to get into. While he trusts that Nagito won’t think of him any less if he did admit to having a larger imagination than most, he’d rather not look any more pathetic than he did now. Besides, he trusts that if it came down to it, Nagito would help protect him from the imaginary monsters that lurk in the darkness, sparked and maintained from Hinata's childhood. A couple scratches and the vomit of a dark beast couldn’t rip them apart, not ever.

 

In the utter darkness and silence, a cloud passes over the moon and the whole kitchen, just as they enter, plunges into pitch blackness. Hinata can’t see a thing.

 

“Shit! Nagito- where are you?” He hisses.

 

“I’m right here… Don’t worry, let’s just find the fridge.”

 

Hinata hears Nagito begin to hum the 'Mission Impossible' theme under his breath.

 

“Are you fucking kidding me?” He chuckles. “That movie came out like… 20 years ago.”

 

“1996, baby,” Nagito informs him. “I know my movies.”

 

Hinata is more than a little impressed. He knew Nagito was a big cinema fan, but that was a very specific release date. Not that he’d let him know how cool that was. Step one of looking uncool is admitting that everybody else in the room is cooler than you.

 

The passing reality of Nagito actually saying the word “baby” in reference to him also makes his knees a little weaker.

 

“For real- where's the fridge?” Hinata asks. “I’m by the door. I don’t want to trip on you- I’d break you like a pencil.”

 

“Gee, thanks,” Nagito grunts somewhere to his left. “I haven't moved. The freezer has an internal light so we should be able to see when we open the door. Just… feel around for it.”

 

Hinata grits his teeth. “Okay… I’ll be right back.”

 

“I can’t see shit- you leaving me here makes no goddamn difference.”

 

“Fair… hold up.”

 

Hinata cautiously slides on the floor, treading lightly on tile, sprawling his arms out in anticipation. Finally, after venturing what feels like way too far, his hand finds the fridge door handle, and he yanks it open.

 

Light glares in his face and Hinata feels himself flinch away from the glaring beacon. He covers his face with his hands for a moment.

 

It wears off after a moment and his eyes adjust a bit. With the blue light and chill emanating from the fridge's insides, he looks back to see Nagito's form, outlined in light blue. He sees Nagito’s slacked posture as he hunches over, eyes sunken into his head, no eyeliner, just messy hair and tired slouching.

 

Hinata finds the handle to the freezer from there and then the bright box for the Rocket-pops- next to four of his Monster Energy drinks. If you want the good stuff, you put them in the freezer instead of the fridge. Hinata can only fit four in at a time, and the rest are in cartons under the sink- Costco-sized loads, but he’d freeze one as soon as he took one. There was a system in place for it.

 

He pulls out the box triumphantly, only to find it disappointingly light. He peers into the depths of the cardboard, tilting towards the light of the still-open fridge.

 

“Well- uh- there’s only one left.”

 

Nagito shuffles. “Ah- you can have it then. I mean, I don’t mind at all, you really need it.”

 

Hinata nods, plucking it out of the box, grabbing a hold of the icy tip covered in crinkling plastic.

“Look, We can split it, it’s no big deal, right? Friends trust other friends' saliva,” He said, waving it. “I really don’t mind.”

 

“If you say so…” Nagito sounds like he doubts it.

 

Hinata looks back at the dark hallway, and considers that he’d have to close the fridge eventually- he was getting cold.

 

“Hey… maybe we should just... have this in the living room?” He suggests. Something about going back into his bedroom doesn’t seem to sit well with him, even though in reality he knew it was nothing to be remotely nervous about.

 

Nagito doesn’t seem to question him, only frowning as his hand emerges from the sleeve of his sweatshirt to rub at his cheek for a moment. “Sounds good.”

 

Hinata lets a breath out, as he shifts his weight around, “Cool…” He seems at a loss for words after that. “Like… honestly- uh…. Nevermind.”

 

Nagito raises his eyebrows.

 

Hinata takes notice of his surrounding, getting his bearings in the room around him before he closes the fridge. Evidently, the overhead cloud had passed. He retains the minimal sight of Nagito standing in front of him and the outline of some of the furniture in the living room. He trips over himself as he makes his way over. He reaches out to the wall, finding the light switch panel and flicking on the light. The overwhelming flash of the lights catches him up, and, blinking hard, he lowers the brightness with the little slide at the base of the switch.

 

Finally, they sit down on the couch together. Nagito glances out the open window at all the stars. Mikan and Ibuki had upgraded to spending the past two days in Makoto’s room because he was spending the night with his new girlfriend, Kirigiri.

 

Letting his weight spread out, Hinata's head rolls to one side. “I’m tired….”

 

Nagito smirks. “Then go to bed, you idiot. There’s an easy solution here. I think you’re missing it.”

 

“Says the most sleep deprived guy I know.”

 

“Mm. Touché.”

 

Hinata's head leans to the other side, and he shifts closer to Nagito, his tired fingers struggling to pull open the plastic. “Here, you sound like you haven't been sleeping anyway… open this?” He asks, handing it over.

 

“I was resting…” Nagito said in defense. “But yeah, no problem.”

 

Except it is a problem. His spidery fingers slip, and, despite being fully awake, he can’t open the measly plastic sheet.

 

“Gosh, how weak _ are  _ you?” Hinata asks, coming out a little more rude than he originally intended. He holds out his hand.

 

“Apparently pretty weak.” He agrees, relinquishing it. “You know this.”

 

Hinata rolls his eyes but takes the popsicle back anyway. He bites into the top.It tears open easily.

 

“How come you weren't able to get that open?”

 

“How come  _ you _ weren't?” Nagito shoots back with a grin. “I bet I can beat you in just about anything.”

 

Hinata grins. He knows that Nagito doesn't mean it. It's the total opposite of what he stands for. But Hinata takes the chance for friendly competition when it arises.

 

“Oh, really? Game on. Name the game,” He bravely dares, even though the outside of his vision is slipping and his knees feel weak, fingers still stiff and slow. He needs a Monster.

 

Nagito pauses, though only for a moment in the dimmed lights. Fierce shadows sink into the pits of his cheeks. His face looks sallow. He hadn’t counted on Hinata's retaliation, but he doesn't back down.

 

“A test of courage, bravery, and skill?” Nagito asks.

 

“Why not?”

 

“Truth or dare."

 

“Fine," says Hinata. "Who goes first?”

 

“You, Mr. Confident-smarty-pants.”

 

“Real mature. Dare.”

 

“Put an ice cube down your shirt,” Nagito says, without missing a beat.

 

Hinata freezes, looking down at himself at his shirt. He only notices now he isn’t wearing his binder. What jiggles slightly when he moves makes him turn his shoulders inward.

 

Nagito follows his eyes briefly- “Oh-  _ Shit.  _ I keep doing that, don’t I? God, only if you're okay with that- if not, forget about it, it’s no big deal. None at all!”

 

Hinata shakes his head, eyes rolling as he stands. “I said game on. I meant game on.” He hands the popsicle back to Nagito. “Enjoy that, asshole.”

 

He meant it with affection.

 

Trying to not look like a complete and utter wimp as he treks into the kitchen, he opens the freezer and secures an ice cube. He juggles it between his hands, patches of skin burning where he maintains contact with it for too long. Slamming the freezer shut, he scrabbles on tile flooring back to the living room.

 

Once he plops back down onto the couch, he holds out the ice cube for Nagito to verify that it is, in fact, a frozen chunk of water. He pinches the collar of his shirt and unceremoniously drops it down his front.

 

He lets out a sharp inhale as he feels it gliding from his collarbone to his breasts, clinging to his skin. As the ice starts to melt, he feels a bit of liquid pooling in his shirt, pressing into the fabric and diffusing.

 

Nagito offers the Rocket-pop out to him, having saved the first lick for him.

 

Hinata smiles, not sure if he's in the mood for the frozen treat. He takes a grateful suck on it anyways. To distract himself from the fact that he is losing feeling in his chest, he mumbles, “Truth or dare?”

 

Nagito thinks for a moment, glances at the dripping popsicle in his hand, then takes a lick as well. “Uh… truth.”

 

Hinata had to consider the answer for a moment. “Okay… well… who’s your idol crush?”

 

It was a lame question, and Hinata simply couldn’t conjure up anything better when Nagito was gripping the base of a dripping Rocket-pop. “Uh….. I dunno… probably Gerard Way? MCR’s lead singer? He’s hot.”

 

Hinata almost gags. “He…?”

 

“... Yeah?"

 

Hinata's face was burning down to his neck. “I just… I didn’t realize you were into men.”

 

“Oh? Yeah… I’m like, really into men?”

 

“Uh, c-cool.” Hinata swallows. “I mean, me too. I… am, too.”

 

“You are?”

 

“Yeah… actually, I am. Very much so.”

 

Nagito grins. “Just my luck, huh? I didn’t tell you because I thought you’d like… hate me. Like, I dunno, I’ve never seen you sizing up a guy before.”

 

“Have you ever seen me size up a girl?”

 

“Touché….” He admits. “Although, you seemed to be really close to Chikai before she started dating Mikan…”

 

Hinata bites his lip. “Dude, it’s called the gay-dar. We’re just friends.”

 

Nagito flashes him a devilish smile. “I know. I’m just screwing with you.”

 

“Whatever you say,” Hinata mutters. “Give that here.”

 

Nagito relinquishes the Rocket-pop to him again.

 

“Okay…. Truth or dare?”

 

Hinata rolls his eyes up, mouth wrapped around the popsicle. “Uh… truth, I guess.”

 

Nagito hums. “So if you had to kiss any boy that we know, who would it be?”

 

Hinata is positive now that his breasts are not the only things going numb. He feels the cold water against his stomach, creeping down from his wet shirt.

 

“Uh… I don’t…. I don’t know.”

 

Have you ever wanted to scream in somebody’s face to date you? Yeah. That.

 

“Like… I dunno…. Maybe Souda.”

 

“Souda?” Nagito raises his eyebrows.

 

“Well, I don’t like him, but he’s my best friend so I guess it wouldn’t be that weird? Like… He would know that it's just for fun… I trust him I guess?”

 

“Are you into vampires, then?”

 

Hinata takes a moment to consider the fact that Nagito kinda has the lone wolf vampire getup happening. “Uh… kinda? I don’t know… what were you asking?”

 

Nagito sniffs. “Really? Am I supposed to believe that you don’t have the hots for any guy that we know? What about Izzy?”

 

“He’s way too… emotionless. I’d want to date somebody I’m, like, friends with.”

 

“Really now? Tell me more...” His voice mocks that of a gossiping teenage girl, something they weren't acting too far from at this point, actually.

 

“Well, I, uh…. I don’t know… I do like a guy, I guess, but I’m not telling you.”

 

“You like him?”

 

“I’d rather kiss him than Souda, I’m not saying who, next question."

 

Hinata sticks the Rocket-pop in his mouth to quell his frustration.

 

“You’ve got me interested, now… come on, no fair!”

 

“If I thought I had a chance with this guy, you’d be the first one to know. Trust me.”

 

Nagito shrugs, seemingly satisfied with that answer somehow. “Whatever, man.”

 

“Look- truth or dare,” Hinata sighs around his pop. “Pick one.”

 

“Uh… truth. Again?”

 

“Same question. If you had to kiss a dude, who?”

 

Nagito frowns thoughtfully for a moment, eyes flickering as a car drives by on the road outside, causing the light of the room to drag from one side to the other briefly until the headlights fell away.

 

“So… like, I think  _ maybe  _ Makoto.”

 

“My brother?!”

 

Nagito laughs- seeing the look on Hinata’s face. “Yeah- he’s pretty cute, I guess. And like… he wouldn’t make it weird. Besides, you and him are pretty great friends to me, and to each other. If I started dating Makoto I’d, like…. Get to hang here with you lots too. So… bonus points?”

 

“He has a girlfriend!”

 

“So does Souda… though, I don’t think Ibuki would fight you for anything.” Nagito comments. “Whatever. Either way."

 

“Suck on that Rocket-pop.” Hinata passive-aggressively rolls his eyes, handing the pop back to him in the hopes that it will shut him up for a moment. “I can’t believe you just told me you’d date my half-brother.”

 

“That’s not what I said- Hinata! I said it wouldn’t be bad- and it wasn’t dating, it was kissing… chill your tits.”

 

Hinata looks at him.

 

“Uh, shit- sorry, I didn’t mean it like that.”

 

Hinata waves his hand. “Forget it, it’s good, we’re not used to it yet. Besides, I think they’re pretty chilled at this point in time. Like… I have ice-water dripping down them and all.”

 

“That’s…”

 

“Don’t sweat it,” Hinata assures him. “It’s all good.”

 

Nagito shrugs. “You do know that… I’ll never see you as a girl, right? It just… slipped out. Like- well, not slipped out, that’s not what I meant, I’m not thinking about it- I just-”

 

“It’s okay, man!” Hinata tells him. “I’ve heard you use that same expression with our other friends before. Don’t. Sweat it.”

 

Nagito nods lamely. “Whatever you say,” He concedes. “I trust you.”

 

“Look, truth or dare?”

 

“Dare or something.” Hinata isn’t sure how much he wants to play this anymore, and he didn’t want to hand Nagito the chance to ask who this crush of his was.

 

“I dare you to moan around this popsicle in the most sexual way possible for 30 seconds.”

 

Hinata isn’t sure what to think anymore. “The hell kind of dare is-"

 

“Come on- you can do it!” Nagito had the gall to wink at him.

 

“Look- I don’t know…”

 

“I promise I won’t record you,” Nagito chimes in. “Promise, promise."

 

“Fine.” Hinata gives in. “You got a stopwatch somewhere?”

 

Nagito reached into his back pocket and pulls out his phone. “Right here.”

 

Hinata rolls his eyes. “Okay, great… Whatever.”

 

Something flashes in the corner of his eyes, but when he glances over, the kitchen is still dark. He could've sworn he'd seen something turn on.

 

Nagito taps open his phone, messing up the password once, cursing his cold fingers for not registering on the touchscreen.

 

“Okay… Okay, I’m ready,” He says, and he blinks in a way that makes Hinata look behind him, to see if Nagito is winking at something.

 

“You’re not filming this?”

 

“Promise I’m not.”

Hinata isn’t quite sure what path of life he went down to get here, but he isn’t quite loving it. Casting aside dignity and any semblance of pride, he begrudgingly puts the popsicle in his mouth.

__________________

 

Hinata doubts he’s ever been more humiliated in his life. He tries to play it off like it doesn’t matter, and that it’s just as funny to him as it is to Nagito. It is pretty funny, actually, but he won’t think so until those 30 seconds are up. He starts awkwardly moaning around it, playing along, thrusting the popsicle up and down a bit.

 

Nagito bursts into peals of laughter, giddy chuckles wracking him. He is almost soundless as he doubles over clutching his stomach. Hinata is confused about what is so amusing until he turns around and sees Ibuki standing behind him.

 

… with her cell phone.

 

He nearly drops the half-eaten popsicle in his lap and makes a bigger fool of himself. He catches himself just barely- cutting off abruptly from his moaning as he stares at her in absolute horror.

 

“How long- I-Ibuki!”

 

She is laughing into her hand, phone turned to him, showing him the 24-second recording of him sucking on a popsicle next to Nagito- _ in his wet t-shirt, without his binder _ \- at two in the morning.

 

He growls, and she cackles, “Gotta go!” before bouncing out of the kitchen. For good measure, she flicks the lights off behind her.

 

“... I can’t believe…” Nagito is wheezing. “I’m so sorry, I’ll ask her not to post it or anything but…. I’m sorry, I’m such a mean friend but-” He chokes on another stream of laughter.

 

Hinata, who feels as though he should be slightly upset, feels alarmingly alright. “It was a good one, yeah.” He smiles. “I think I need a monster after that,” he adds, standing up. “You want one?”

 

“Do I want one? It’s like… Two in the morning! You’ll be up all night!"

 

“That’s the point, yeah.”

 

“I- uh, no… I’m good, thank you.”

 

Hinata shrugs. “Didn’t think so. Anything else I can get you?”

 

Nagito shakes his head, and, as if he knows about Hinata's unease in the darkness, he stands with him.

 

There is something about having Nagito, the frailest, weakest boy Hinata's ever known standing next to him that makes him feel so brave and untouchable.

 

Fuck those vomit monsters with the scratching claws.

 

Hinata feels his way to the fridge where he finds the freezer handle and pops the door open.

 

“Hey, for the record, Hinata….” Nagito sighs, shuffling his feet around as Hinata secures his frozen Monster energy drink. “I… really trust you.”

 

Hinata stops and looks at Nagito from the corner of his eyes. “Uh… okay?”

 

Nagito shies away from his gaze for a moment. “It’s just that…. You do really- I don’t know…”

 

“No, thanks, dude… that’s, uh, cool to hear. I just, wasn’t ready for it?”

 

“Ready for what?” Nagito laughs, but it sounds hollow.

 

“Just… you opening up.”

 

“Whatever,” Nagito speaks into a hunched shoulder, nuzzling the heavy black fabric.

 

“Seriously, though, how do you not get hot in that?” Hinata asks. “It’s ridiculous.”

 

Nagito shrugs as Hinata closes the fridge, forgetting to stock another Monster in the freezer. “Whatever, dude. Wanna flick on a movie or something? I mean… just for now?”

 

Nagito nods, eyes bright with a hesitant smile still traced on his face. “Can we watch Twilight? I want to see quality abs and bad writing.”

 

Hinata gags, feeling satisfied at the sounding crack of his opening can. “Sounds perfect. Hot guys, here we come.”

 

Hinata doesn’t even mind when Nagito falls asleep on the couch next to him thirty minutes later. He just covers him in another blanket from the armchair next to him and tries to not watch him. Easier said than done when his breathing sounds so peaceful and unperturbed by worry and stress.

 

Hinata, after finishing off his monster energy drink, would wake him up in the morning, with bags under both of their eyes, only to find Ibuki posting his video to YouTube.

 

Only, he didn’t really care about that, either.

  
  



	3. Never Shout Never

His ceiling fan lazily pulls itself in circles, shadows fall over the room, and Hinata can feel great weights compressing down onto his chest. 

 

He had taken off his binder, but it didn’t help the illusion of suffocation, and now, still feeling low, He swings his feet back and forth, staring at the slogging ceiling fan. Sunlight shines over him, and Hinata takes a tired moment to do nothing but consider. Consider what he’s doing, where he’s going. It doesn’t really matter, but there’s no harm in thinking. 

 

It isn’t entirely true, but some days he likes to think that he isn’t painfully over-excessive when it comes to thinking about the real world. 

 

He holds his breath as a song drops off and ends. He feels the piercing start of another headache. His mother keeps telling him it’s because he has his earbuds in too much, too loud. Maybe she’s right.

 

Still tracing the ceiling with his eyes, he suddenly hears some droned warping noise and recognizes almost immediately the Gorillaz song that is playing. 

 

He smiles. While it might not be his favorite, it has the kind of beat and message he wants to hear just then. Want. Wants matter right now. 

 

Hinata hums along with the tune for a moment, feet still swaying, hands behind his head.

 

He mutters some of the words. His mind is everywhere but the ceiling and where he is right now. 

 

Something about the song has him thinking about a couple weeks ago. Careening into the stinging nettle patch, Nagito’s expression of worry and care. There is something about that encounter that sticks out to Hinata as different. Nagito reaching in, picking him out, and half-carrying him home. Hinata remembers scuffing pebbles under his shoes on the trek home as if he were trying to hide them.  He is trying to hide a lot of things, actually. He has a feeling that Nagito is as well, but he might just be imagining things.

 

“... How are we going to work this out?” He mutters, scrunching his brow as he hears the jazzy instrumentals insult his depressive and reflective mood. 

 

His right foot falls a little too far and nudges an astronomy poster that Nagito had given him for his birthday a couple months back. He had claimed that he didn’t know what to get him, before taking him out to his favorite ice cream shop and gifting him a poster of all the astrology zodiac signs as they appear in the night sky. It wasn’t what Hinata was asking for, but it was perfect anyway.

 

He can almost feel the beat of the song in his chest and his heart as he keeps thinking. Nagito, Nagito, Nagito, Nagito…

 

Hinata has the Thought. The one he has frequently- maybe he doesn’t matter. Maybe he doesn’t matter and doesn’t exist. Maybe the only thing that matters in his insignificant lifetime is seeing the smiles of the people around him. He is nothing. They are the world. As he does when he becomes too pensive, he grazes the pool of hypothetic misery and imagines a world where everything is the same- only he didn't exist.

 

He isn’t sure where the thought came from, but there is a buried part of himself telling him that maybe, maybe he’s right. He doesn’t matter. None of this does.

 

Hinata bats away the thought. If he doesn’t matter, the thought of that certainly doesn't.

 

His hand suddenly reaches for the sky, for the drab ceiling. The glare coming from his window shines on his forearm as his hand extends above himself, into nothingness. 

 

He studies his knuckles for a moment. Clean hands, boney joints, colorful bracelets over his wrists falling down to his elbow.

 

He sighs heavily, letting all the breath he’s caught go free and his hand drops down to his forehead, casting a shadow over his eyes, safe from the sun.

 

He can’t help but continue to whisper the words until the phone at his side vibrates in his pocket. His attention turns to it, looking at it for a moment.

 

“... Comin’ though…” He plucks it out from his pocket.

 

“I lo-ov-ove you…” He taps his fingers along the edge of his phone case in time with turning it on.

 

[ 2 new messages, Nagito, Makoto ]

 

“What are we going to do?” The words were louder, offbeat and not in tune with the song. He opens his phone and forgets the beat of the song for a fleeting moment. 

 

He opens it, the lyrics no longer registering with him as he opens his chat with Nagito.

 

[ Dude! Last night was so great! We should totally do it again sometime… I want to hear more about this guy you like. >:D Are you hungover on Monster, or you wanna hang later today?]

 

Hinata drags his eyes over the message once. Then twice. Again. He always gets a fuzzy feeling receiving a message from him. 

 

Hinata feels his face go red. It isn't because of embarrassment, though. For a minute, he felt as though he’d melt into the pillow he is laying on. A stupid smile spreads across his face as he stares at the message again and again. Not being able to bring himself to respond right away, he taps the sleep button on his phone and turns on his side, clutching the phone close to his chest as he half-smiles into his pillow.

 

______

 

Hinata doesn’t think he'd ever been so afraid of a CD. Why, why, why had Ishimaru let them leave his convenience store with this? He’s supposed to be the guy to watch out for everybody’s well being, right?

 

Hinata stares between a copy of ‘The Shining’, and Nagito’s wicked smile.  

 

“You have to be kidding me, right?”

 

“Nope- we’re watching it.” Nagito grins. “You said anything- you need to mean anything! 'Sides, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger! This is the test.”

 

Hinata rolls his eyes. “A test for what? A test to see how soon I’ll start screaming like a girl?”

 

Nagito shrugs, considering the idea. “Oh… well, that too, but to see if we can still be friends. You need to be able to hold down a horror movie, dude.” 

 

Hinata feels increasingly uncomfortable. “I mean… we can still be friends, right? If I can’t watch it?”

 

Nagito laughs to himself, a light sound. “Yes, of course! Seriously… if you get that scared, we don’t have to watch it. I haven't seen it myself, but I’ve heard it’s one of the scariest movies ever. I’m excited!”

 

Hinata frowns. “Sure… whatever… are you spending the night?”

 

Nagito chuckles again, giving him a light shove on the shoulder “You’re already asking me to stick with you, and the DVD isn’t even out of the case yet!” 

 

“I know, I know… sorry, I got ahead of myself,” He admits. “But really, I don’t want to be alone after this. Already.”

 

“We don’t have to watch it if you don’t want to…” He assures him. “Seriously- if you'd rather not, it’s no big deal.”

 

“Nah- I think you’re just overhyping it. It’ll be fine,” He tries to assure himself. He isn’t backing down from this only to look like a huge wuss. “Oh- Uh, and before we start, I could go grab us some food. Chinese takeout sound good? Or- some popcorn? I don’t know.” 

 

Nagito shakes his head. “I’m good… You could get some if you’d like, but I don’t need anything.”

 

Hinata raises his eyebrows. “I mean, you didn’t have lunch here today…”

 

“I’m telling you, I'm not feeling well.”

 

Hinata is concerned. It is the same thing he’d said at noon as he refused corn nuts and salami. “Are you feeling that bad? Dude, we can do this tomorrow if you genuinely don’t feel good. It doesn’t matter.”

 

“Nah,” Nagito says. “I’m just not feeling hungry.  I haven't done much today, Is all.”

 

Hinata shrugs, supposing that maybe Nagito is trying to get him to sit down so they could start up the movie. 

 

“Fine… ask me later if you need anything, okay?”

 

Nagito smiles, nodding. “Yeah. Sure.”

 

Hinata retreats into his room while Nagito starts up the movie, debating casting off his binder for a moment. He’d already worn it for 12 hours today, any more would be dangerous but… 

 

Fuck it, Hinata decides, finding the blanket on his bed that Nagito always grabs for himself. He can indulge in some slightly risky behavior, it’ll pay off. 

 

He takes another moment after he catches himself in the mirror on his door. He stares at himself for a moment, seeing the window and a messy bed behind him, walls smothered behind dark band posters and neon post-it notes from months ago. 

 

He takes a moment to level himself with the world. He’s going to watch one of the most horrific movies of all time (supposedly) with Nagito. He is still afraid of the dark as an 18-year-old boy. 

 

He stares at the glint of his lip piercing for a second longer. His mind suddenly kicks into a big-picture mindset and he considers that this is who he is. He’s a scene kid, and this is what he’s doing and where he’s going in life. He chuckles at the thought.

 

He wonders if he’s happy with himself the way that he is. He can’t seem to find a good answer for it. 

 

Casting the thought away quickly, before it becomes an actually thought that he’d simmer with only for a sadder answer, he pulls the blankets up in his arms, as strides back into the living room. He throws Nagato's blanket at him, where it catches him across the face. He can hear a quiet giggle from under the smothering fabric. 

 

“Look, just start it already,” Hinata says, as his attention turns to the menu screen, seeing a swinging ax breaking down a door in the preview. “How many jump scares are there?”

 

Nagito smiles. “None. I checked already- I know we both hate those. This is just scary for scary’s sake, rather than startling.”

 

That made Hinata feel loads better already. “You want a Monster or something? Water?” He asks as Nagito glances around for the remote he had in his hands just moments ago. 

 

“Ah, no, thanks,” He tells him, and Hinata stands to retrieve a nice dose of caffeine. It’s nine at night, but seeing as he probably won’t sleep tonight anyway, he figures it's alright to indulge.

 

He sits down as Nagito presses the play button, letting himself indulge in the crisp crack of the can as he opens it, the velvety sound as he tears the hole in it open. He could feel the chilled metal of the can. Freezing is a sign of purity… in any monster.

 

He looks at Nagito. Freezing already, under his blanket.

 

Hinata forces his shoulders to relax a bit, and he leans back into the couch, Nagito by his side, as the movie starts.

 

_________

 

Hinata feels numb to the horror when the little boy turns a corner in the hallway and sees the ghosts of the twins, lying on the floor covered in blood.

 

He mouths a string of vulgar swears to himself, but his mind is so collapsed in fear that he really isn’t registering anything that’s happening in the film at this point. 

 

“Holy shit…” He hears Nagito breathing next to him. The film is so silent. The room is similarly dead. Apparently, Nagito’s brain hasn’t completely short-circuited like Hinata's.

 

“Dude… I...”

 

True to the review's word, there hadn’t been jumpscares yet, but Hinata is rooted in fear, holding his breath so much he is on the brink of developing a side cramp from just sitting there. It abuses Hinata’s fear of… everything else in life. Too many scary things in normal places. He would never sleep in a hotel. Again.

 

Nagito is wide-eyed, staring at the young boy as he covers his eyes. Hinata can’t even connect a proper plotline together in his brain in that moment. Everything is such a frustrated, jumbled mess. 

 

Hinata glances over at Nagito, and, for being a horror movie connoisseur, he looks genuinely horrified. Hinata knows that Nagito is getting pretty spooked by the way he pulls on the edges of his blanket. It isn't a comforting thought. 

 

HInata realizes that his shoulders had hunched up to meet his ears in his numb state, and he forces them to slacken, before turning to Nagito. 

 

“You sure you don’t want anything to eat?” 

 

He is starving and is also craving an excuse to step away for a minute.

 

“I’m sure…” Nagito hums, before reaching down for the remote, flicking it and pausing their film. 

 

“Are you getting scared yet? We can… watch something else if you want," He offers.

 

“I'm… all good," Hinata lies. “Like- I’m gonna make some Taquitos if that’s alright.”

 

“Why should I stop you?” He asks. 

 

Hinata shrugs. “I’ll be back.”

 

This time, he won’t risk it without the lights on. He can’t help but glance back at the figure of Nagito in the darkened room, outlined by the light of the TV screen. He flicks the kitchen light switch on and retrieves his box of Taquitos as quietly as he can, afraid that if he made any noise whatsoever some creepy ass demon would emerge from the moldy corner of the freezer or the one unused cupboard and rip out his soul. 

 

At this thought, Hinata scares himself so badly that he not only freezes, but he also drops his box of Taquitos on the floor- the frozen sticks clatter on the floor with what sounds like orchestra levels of noise compared to the previous silence.

 

“Holy- Shit!” He cries, leaping up as one bounces against his foot.

 

“What was that?!” Nagito yelps from the sofa. He reappears in the frame of the kitchen, looking horrified.

 

Hinata lets out a nervous laugh, which grows into a genuine smile. And he laughs at how some goddamned microwaveable snack had scared him so badly. How it had scared Nagito, too, at the same time. “I think somebody’s more afraid then they say they are,” Hinata taunts.

 

Nagito scoffs but doesn’t respond, only walking in to aid him in picking frozen taquitos off the floor and returning them to the box. Hinata considers still heating them up. The floor isn’t that dirty. And, hey, microwaveable beef taquitos are still microwaveable beef taquitos, no matter where they’re dropped.

 

“But, fine- it’s creepy. Is that what you wanted to hear?” Nagito asks. “I’m slightly scared.”

 

Hinata smirks. “That’s a first, honestly. That… I thought you were kinda untouchable in the world of horror movies.”

 

Nagito chuckles, dropping the last of the frozen taquitos into the box. “Like… I don’t mind the jumpscares one bit, man- but this is like… horror-horror. Like… This is some eerie shit, man.”

 

Hinata smiles at the floor as he plucks three taquitos out from the box. “I can’t believe Nagito Komaeda is admitting defeat to a horror movie that came out like twenty years ago.”

 

“It's more recent than twenty years ago!” He argues. “And I am not admitting defeat!”

 

“Sounds like you’re admitting defeat to me…” Hinata says stubbornly, trying to ignore his shaky fingers as he tears open the microwave door.

 

“Do I now?” It sounds like a challenge. “At least I’m brave enough to go back in there and finish the movie, instead of cowering in the kitchen making... taquitos.”

 

“I am not cowering!” Hinata defends. “For your information, I was getting the munchies- man.”

 

“Oh, sure.”

 

“And I’m going to finish that goddamn movie,” Hinata mutters, glancing over the low, buzzing microwave. “I’m not that scared.”

 

Nagito grins. “Whatever.” But Hinata can tell that behind that smile they are both digging their own graves. 

 

Hinata stares dreamily at the microwave as little pops can be heard from the inside, and Nagito asks abruptly, "Where's Makoto?"

 

“He’s with Kyoko tonight.” Hinata sighs. “Again.”

 

Nagito moves a little closer on quiet feet to lean on the counter for a bit as though his legs can’t support him. “What's that like for you?”

 

Hinata shrugs. “I don’t know…. I’m trying not to get so aggressive about it- but it’s kinda hard. Makoto is talking to me less, and that kinda stings. I don’t know if that’s Kyoko’s fault or what, but…”

 

Nagito hums quietly. “He’s depending on you less… I get it.”

 

“It’s stupid- nevermind.”

 

Nagito stands up again fully for a moment. "He’s your little brother and you really care about him. How is that stupid? It’s bound to hurt a little bit if it feels like he’s leaving you for somebody else.”

 

Hinata grunts, but doesn’t say anything tangible.

 

“Though- I might bring up the possibility that maybe he’s becoming a little more self-sufficient. Maybe he’s depending on everybody less.”

 

“I just wish he would talk to me!” Hinata sighs. “I can’t hold a conversation with him these days!”

 

There is a second or two where the only noise in the kitchen is the hum and pop of Hinata's taquitos.

 

“Well-” Nagito asks quietly. “How many of those failed conversations were started by Makoto?”

 

Hinata tries to recall. “Uhh... None of them.”

 

“There you go,” Nagito says. “Makoto and you, from what I’ve found, are brothers of very few words. It’s not that you don’t say anything- It’s just that you don’t talk about the important things. You’re all jokes and little business. You know?”

 

“I guess that's true,” Hinata concedes. “But why hasn’t he been talking to me?”

 

“Maybe you’re stressing him out or something. That, or he’s just not in the mood to joke around. You can’t force him to talk to you, especially if you only really ever joke around. You can’t just start with a serious conversation. Are you hearing me?”

 

Hinata shrugs. “Maybe you’re right… who knows.”

 

Nagito smiles, moving closer. “It’s worth a shot- right?”

 

A blaring scream erupts through the room.

 

“Holy-!” Nagito, for lack of a better phrase, flies into Hinata's arms.

 

Hinata looks down to find his arms wrapped protectively around Nagito's thin frame. His heart is racing- but his panic slacks.

 

“Nagito… It’s the microwave.”

 

Nagito looks around, dazed. His eyes are huge. He finishes regulating a slight gasp. “I… Oh. So it is.”

 

“No kidding,” Hinata laughs. Nagito doesn't move to escape his reach, “Like... Nagito… you… nevermind.”

 

Nagito lets out a hysteric little laugh himself but still doesn't release the hold he has around Hinata. “Okay… That really scared me.”

 

“No more ‘Big, Bad, Not-Scared Nagito’, huh?”

 

Nagito shakes his head. “I guess not, no.”

 

“Glad we sorted that out. I think I’m feeling a little better about finishing the movie knowing you’re just as scared as I am.”

 

“Nobody could be as scared as you.” Nagito pouts. “Seriously- you are in a category of wussy that is all your own.”

 

Hinata smirks, lightly pushing Nagito away from him, hoping that he wouldn’t lose his composure. “Shut up!”

 

But Nagito didn’t.

 

________

 

“Hinata…?”

 

It is dark. Everything is dark. Nagito can’t see anything. He rolls over- clutching his blankets tightly so they stay with him. He still can’t see anything. 

 

“... Hinata?”

 

This time there is a vague response. A disjointed little hum- soggy with sleep and exhaustion. Definitely Hinata.

 

Nagito’s mouth feels dry. “Hey… Are you, uh… still scared…?”

 

Hinata groans audibly, and Nagito hears him roll over to face him.

 

“... No, not really... Why? Are you?”

 

Nagito sighs. “Kinda.” He admits. “Like… Okay, fine, yes.”

 

Hinata laughs quietly. It is a nice noise to hear at that dark hour.

 

“Come here, then,” Hinata says, shifting over a bit in his own blankets, judging by the rustle of them on the floor. “Come on.”

 

Nagito whispers a small, yet meaningful, thank-you. It is questionable whether or not Hinata even hears him. 

 

Maybe not. Either way, Nagito shifts forward and is greeted with Hinata's embrace. 

 

Nagito huffs as he moves closer. 

 

“No creepy twins could tear us apart- right?” Nagito chuckles, but thinking of the little girls still sets him on edge. Seriously- they were so fucking freaky. 

 

“Nothing,” Hinata assures him. “No ghosts, or monsters… nothing.”

 

Nagito smiles to himself. He rather likes the sound of that. “How are you the least scared one of us, yet you’ve been scared of those stupid cartoon imaginary monsters since your childhood- made of what again?”

 

“Vomit and claws,” Hinata grumbles. “Black with neon spikes, the whole nine. They're fucking scary, dude, don’t judge me."

 

“Are they now?” Nagito feels skeptical.

 

“Yeah! Covered in cross-hatching cuts, and, like, they want to feast so badly but they can’t- they just lurk in the shadows pretending they aren't there- but they are… scary stuff.”

 

Nagito shrugs. “Sounds cool.”

 

“No! Not cool! The very opposite of cool!”

 

Nagito rolls his eyes inwardly.

 

“I wonder if they fight each other and they scratch themselves.”

 

Hinata doesn't move, but Nagito can hear the intent to shrug in his voice. “They must, I guess.”

 

This is good, just talking with Hinata. “ ‘Oh- 'They must', you say about monsters that don’t exist.”

 

Hinata scoffs. “They're real in my heart, man- and my mind- and they are the most horrifying things ever.”

 

Nagito shifts a little closer, looping his arms around Hinata in turn. 

 

“Trust me, they don’t exist.”

 

Hinata huffs. “Whatever you say.”


	4. Update! GOOD NEWS!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> delete l8r!!

SO FLATTERED OF ALL THE FEEDBACK! YOU GUYS ARE SO KIND!

RIght now, my schedule to finish old and add 1 new work is as follows:

1\. Finish ABC EMotions of Shane Madej.  
I’m not interested in Buzzfeed unsolved anymore Just fell out of it, so I’m looking to get it out of the way first. Especially for a few hours and it’s fully done.

2\. I’m coming out with a fully written one-shot…   
IT'S ONLY LIKE 60 PAGES but I still have fun writing it.   
A fully mute!Red namelessshipping fic called Meteor Shower. I just need to edit it.

3\. Finishing up Every Planet we reach is dead. There are just 2 chapters left, and If I’m going to finish them all, might knock it out. Besides, I’ve lost all my plans for it, and I only vaguely know the final part, some planning and plotting is needed. 

4\. Finishing Hope overnight.  
I want to finish all these stories for good before I write anything else, and I know that the most people wanted me to continue Hope Overnight. The reason I’m saving it for last is that there’s simply so much more than I need to do to finish it… Writing Every Planet will warm me up to SDR2 again, and just writing Komahina in general… I'm looking to get everything out in a timely manner, but looking back at HOpe Overnight I’m also going to want to edit and improve the first chapters- just to make them FUCKING READABLE. I want to give you nothing but the BEST for waiting so long for me, and I love you all!

**Author's Note:**

> Come scream with me about Danganronpa, Buzzfeed unsolve, Voltron and more on mt tumble @imakeideasnotart if you wanna follow my crappy writing blog im @starterwriterworshops and if you want to MAYBE request me, I take requests once every blue moon, I'm @iwriteyousequal
> 
> The title is named after the song that inspired this entire fanfiction, Every Planet We Reach Is Dead by Gorillaz
> 
> Thanks for bearing with my regrets and mistakes. Cheers from a depressed little puddle somewhere in the world around you.


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